Herzog became the largest of the Volga-German colonies in Ellis County. Situated in the Southeast Quarter of Section 1, Township 14, Range 17 one-half mile north of the English colony of Victoria, it was established by the following founders on April 8, 1876.

Herzog became the largest of the Volga-German colonies in Ellis County. Situated in the Southeast Quarter of Section 1, Township 14, Range 17 one-half mile north of the English colony of Victoria, it was established by the following founders on April 8, 1876.

Freiderich Arnhold

Christina (Anna Maria) Geist

Andreas Sander and Katharina Knoll Sander

Jakob Arnhold and Eva Hoffman Arnhold

Johann Jakob Geist and Anna Maria Bieker Geist

J. Adam Sander and Elizabetha Lauber Sander

Katharina Margaretha Faller Arnhold

Johannes Geist and Kaharina Gerber Geist

Johannes Peter Sander and Anna Katharina Brungardt Sander

Philip Arnhold and Katharina Dreiling Arnhold

Wilhelm Geist and Katharina Elizabetha Meis Geist

Michael Storm, Jr. and Eva Knaub Storm

Andreas Billinger and Magdalena Scheck Billinger

Andreas Goetz and Anna Bollig Goetz

Michael Storm, Sr. and Elizabetha Ries Storm

Johannes Peter Braun and Anna Martha Weber Braun

Johann Goetz and Anna Maria Mermis Goetz

Joseph Stroemel and Barbara Urban Stroemel

Joseph Braun and Katharina (Elizabetha) Braun

Anton Herman and Elizabetha Dreiling Herman

Ignatz Vonfeldt

Alois Dreiling and Katharina Rohleder Dreiling

Johannes Kreutzer and Katharina Asselborn Kreutzer

Anton Weber and Anna Maria Gerber Weber

Anton Dreiling and Maria Elizabetha Rupp Dreiling

Jakob Lang and Susanna Urban Lang

Franz Weber and Anna Barbara Mueller Weber

Nikolas Dreiling and Katharina Wahl Dreiling

Peter Quint and Margaretha Gerber Quint

Andreas Weigel

Nikolas Dreiling and Margaretha Seib Dreiling

Michael Rome and Anna Schreiner Rome

Ignatz Weigel and Elizabetha Sander Weigel

Peter N. Dreiling and Elizabetha Richmeier Dreiling

Johannes Anton Weigel

The original founders of Herzog gathered at Saratov from the nine villages of Herzog, Boregard, Liebental, Obermonjour, Marienthal, Louis, New-Obermonjour, Marienburg, and Graf. They left Saratov on October 24, 1875.

Sailing from Bremen, Germany, on November 2, 1875, they landed at Baltimore, Maryland, on November 23 following a rough, 21-day sea voyage. Traveling by train, they arrived in Topeka on November 28, 1875. They were quartered for several days in the Kings Bridge Building until rental accommodations could be secured in north Topeka. During the winter of 1875-76 they worked out of Topeka at common labor, on the railroad, or for local farmers.

Some of their leaders recommended land in the Hog Back vicinity in Ellis County but this was rejected by the group. Eventually they agreed on the site where Herzog was ultimately located.

The first dwellings were erected immediately after the April 8, 1876, arrival on the east bank of Big Creek a short distance west of the present town.

The friends and relatives who had remained in Russia were obviously impressed by the glowing reports from Kansas. On July 8, 1876, the largest single expedition to leave for the colonies departed from Saratov. Within this group were 108 families for whom Balthasar Brungardt had undertaken to secure emigration passes. This contingent sailed on the “Mosel”, landing in New York and then arrived in Victoria on August 3, 1876.

A few days before Christmas, 1877 three new families arrived in Herzog from Russia. They were:

FATHER

MOTHER

CHILDREN

Peter Kuhn

Magdelena

Peter

Peter Linenberger

Anna Maria

Joseph Schmidtberger

Elizabetha

On June 20, 1878 the family of Jakob Lang, Sr. came from Kamenka to settle in Herzog.

The last major group to emigrate from Russia for settlement in Herzog, came under the leadership of Joseph Linenberger, arriving in Victoria, September 15, 1878. This group consisted of the following families:

FATHER

MOTHER

CHILDREN

Johannes Billinger

Magdelena

Andreas Goetz

Magdalena

Andreas, Joseph

Henery Hausen

(2 in family)

Peter Kuhn

Gertrude

Michael, Nicholaus, Amalia, Anton, Margaretha

Andreas Linenberger

Margaretha

Joseph Linenberger

Margaretha

Johannes, Maria, Peter, Katharina, Joseph, Gertrude

Johannes Pfeifer

Anna Margaretha

Elizabetha, Adam, Margaretha, Katharina, Barbara, Andreas

Johannes Pfeifer

Anna Maria

Johannes

Michael Vonfeldt

(2 in family)

Valentine Weigel

(8 in family)

Johannes Windholz

(12 in family)

Additional immigrants continued to settle in Herzog until the beginning of the First World War but came singly or in small groups.